Typical? Traffic Stop in Santo Domingo PLEASE READ!

I think this one has gone a little overboard, had one person even say they wouldn't hire a car etc etc.

The reality...

I have driven all over this Island for two years now and only been stopped a few times. I drive in the city every day and never have a problem, only been stopped twice in two years, both in the same day. When I lived in Sydney Australia, I got stopped a lot more often, and they usually gave me a ticket for some BS reason, no slipping the cop US$1 here!

YES, sometimes I stop for the cops in the remote areas, have a chat, give them RD$20. RD$20 goes a long way when you only earn a little over US$100/month.

If you run a red light, of course you are going to get stopped and given a ticket if your unlucky, isn't that the same for most other places on the planet? just smile and take the ticket. If you are a tourist, let's be honest, your not going to pay.

If you have an accident, you COULD go to jail. As a tourist this is unlikley, unless you were drunk or someone very seriously injured etc.

Tell me, where else can you give a cop RD$50 (US$3) and get him to drive your car home because you have had one too many drinks?

How many have you been stopped for speeding here? How many have you had a parking ticket here? How many have you had a ticket for a defective part? How many have you had a ticket for D and D here?

The list goes on and on...

99.9% of you will never have a problem. The biggest problem you will have is learning how to drive here. If it ain't in front of you, don't worry about it :-)

Rob.

THANKS ROBERT SINCERELY Rafael Lopez.

Quite interesting. I have been stopped many times for no appearant reason, and even got my american license taken away. Maybe it is my face.

Thought I posted this, but must have lost it. This is obviously only my opinion, but I'm "comfortable" with it

I have to agree with you that it is not exactly "right" to pay a bribe to a policeman, but what do you do when travelling in certain States in the South of the US? Sometimes you are ushered into "Night Court" in front of a municipal Judge, fined hundreds of dollars on the spot, or set a Court date where you must travel hundreds or thousands of miles to fight a charge that is stacked against you. The other problem is if you don't pay the fine, your license is suspended nationwide.

I don't condone paying "bribes," but I like to think of the Dominican Traffic Cops as "honest thieves," at least you know what they want and they make no bones about it.

It would be nice to see a bit more civility in Santo Domingo driving, but.....

Tom

Don't' even think about bribing a Metropolitan Transportation Police Officer (AMET), they'll take you downtown so fast your head spins.

Well-paid, highly motivated, better disciplined, wear clean, neat, green uniforms, they use personal communication (in case someone gets smart and ignore a stop order), they use SUVs and motor bikes just like the ones they used in the states. Beware, these guys mean busyness

They in my humble opinion are an example of how the Dominican Police should be like.

Gale

That sounds great that the DR has established a fairly paid, well trained police force. My question is: do they then drop ypu into the same criminal "justice" system that has always been in place, or is there reform in the Court System as well?

Tom

Well unfortunately Tom, Dominican congress people are too busy jumping police lines, slapping each other senseless, making emarrazing scenes like the one that took place last week, and just hopping to take a byte out of public arcades.

A few days ago, a careless truck driver killed 5 people when trying to make a U turn in a busy speed way.

Dominican laws just will give him a slap in the wrist a 50 peso fine.

Gale

I don't know as we are any better in the US. What do people in the DR think of the Impeachment proceedings, or do they bother with the farce at all?

Tom

Actually, President Clinton is very popular among dominicans, even more popular than most local politicians, in fact, I think Mr. he's more popular in the DR than in the US.

Clinton's popularity is VERY high in the US (From 63-71% approval of performance, depending on which poll), his only detractors seem to be in a very right wing Republican Minority. Several Republicans have no gone on record as saying this mess should end, that a removal from office is impossible given the party line votes alread taken on issues concerning the proceedings

Tom